Co-operative Farming: July 2022 news

28 July 2022

The Casino Food Co-op: Putting people before profits

In this month’s podcast, we again focus on one of the leading co-operatives in the flood-ravaged Northern Rivers region of NSW – The Casino Food Co-operative. Rural journalist Michael Cavanagh sat down with Simon Stahl, CEO of The Casino Food Co-operative, the largest farmer-owned meat processing co-op in Australia with over 500 farmer members. Farming is an inherently difficult vocation, but knowing the co-op has got their back has helped members navigate drought, fires, COVID-19 and more recently the devastating floods. Its people-first philosophy allowed them to support their community through this traumatic event.

Discover why The Casino Food Co-op is such an asset to its community, and what the future holds for this forward-thinking co-operative.

Listen now via our website, Spotify or Apple, or read more about the secret behind The Casino Food Co-op’s success.

Next month, Michael chats with Colin Dorber, MD, Lockyer Valley Foods, to discover how the Lockyer Valley Fruit and Vegetable Cooperative is creating better outcomes for farmers in Australia’s food bowl.

Applications open: Small grants for flood impacted communities

The flood recovery efforts of BCCM members were featured in a recent article by The Co-op News. The Australian Mutuals Foundation has raised over $200k for the recovery effort from Australian and overseas co-ops and mutuals and is now providing grants to assist flood-impacted communities. Applications close on Monday, 1 August.

Co-op farming sector news

Raising the bar: how country towns are saving their pubs (paywall)

Managing workplace risk

BCCM’s Anthony Taylor’s recent study tour in Spain and Italy

Mutual banks told to ‘sharpen their focus’ on vulnerable customers (paywall)

Michael Pascoe: The greed undermining privatisation and demutualisation

Making co-ops visible

Co-op buying one way to reduce cost of living pressures

Upskill your team in 2022 with BCCM courses

An Introduction to Co-operatives and Mutuals
This accessible and affordable two-hour online induction training has been designed to educate and inspire people working in the sector to understand more about the unique role and contribution of co-operatives and mutuals. Give your staff a strong understanding of our unique sector by sending them to our next course on 9 August. Watch the extract of the interview with Mark Mugnaioni from RACT from last month’s course. Each course introduces a new co-op leader in conversation, and in August we will meet Lynne McLennan, CEO, UFS Dispensaries Ltd.

BCCM Innovation Masterclass
Our newest offering, this industry-specific masterclass gives the BCCM community access to world-class innovation thinking delivered by global facilitators providing practical and immediately usable approaches. This masterclass is perfect for teams, emerging leaders and executives looking to build innovation and resilience in their organisation. This three, half-day online masterclass is delivered by University of Geneva and UTS Professor Emmanuel Josserand and Strategyzer global innovation advisor Fred Etiemble. The masterclass will run from 2 pm – 5:30 pm AEST on 22 and 29 August, and 5 September 2022. Bookings now open, or apply for a part scholarship – applications close 5pm on Friday, 5 August. Watch our recent introductory session to meet Emmanuel and Fred and discover more about this ground-breaking course.

We’re here to help

If you have questions or would like more information or support to plan, start or run a co-op, please get in touch with the Co-operative Farming team.